Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again
experience the oppression of one by another. – Nelson Mandela.
…. But never is happening again, say Reiger Park residents.

By Chantal Thurlby
Reiger Park has seen it all. It was one of the
sites of violence during the anti-immigrant
riots, with émigrés beaten and burned in
streets described as "war zones". Since
then many prayer services have been held,
yet Reiger Park residents are still boiling
over in frustration regarding the recent
gang-related gunfighting and murders.
Just last week an Oos-Rand Secondary
School student found himself in hot water
after he was found in possession of a
dangerous weapon.
The 18-year-old was arrested during a police
search operation last Monday and was

charged with possession of a dangerous
weapon. The learner appeared in court last
Tuesday. Reiger Park Secondary School was
also searched, however nothing was found.
A group of community members threatened
to burn down a shop owned by a foreigner
in order to cover up for a recent robbery.
The Reiger Park SAPS spokesperson,
Sergeant Mashudu Phathela, reported that
two unarmed men approached a shop owner,
pinned him to the ground and stole a pack of
nappies. Just as the robbers left, residents
walked in and threatened the shop owner that
if he reported the crime to the SAPS that they
will come back and burn down his shop. One
of the accused was arrested and charged with
A drive-by shooting in March
2012, the third East Rand
drive-by shooting in that
week.
ARMED AND
DANGEROUS: Youths
prepare themselves for
battle in the Ramaphosa
informal settlement.

"

business robbery and appeared in court last
Tuesday.
tame TIMES is investigating the most recent
attacks in Reiger Park, this being a possible
turf war and criminal gangs fighting for territory.
We have not even reached the end of our first
month of 2014 and already there have been
six reported shootings. Reiger Park SAPS
said that they have been dealing with several
cases involving gun violence related to gang
activities between New Year’s Eve and first
weeks into January. Nine suspects had
been arrested in connection with the recent
shooting incidents. They were identified by
police as gang members.
All nine suspects were released after the

complainants withdrew the charges.
A source within the SAPS said, “They are
fighting over control of territory and drug
markets in the township. This feud between
the rival gangs has begun after a dispute over
gang territory.”
Another source from a different area said,
“The police won’t even go into Reiger Park
anymore, the Reiger Park CPF does not want
to see a SAPS officer because they are so
corrupt there. This is not safe for the good
people in Reiger Park because they cannot
even trust a police officer.”
A peace and justice committee has been
formed in Reiger Park to remember those
affected by the crimes and to provide support.
The aim is to bring peace amongst the rival
gangs. This event, themed “Prayer for peace
in the hood”, is ongoing. Residents say the
ongoing violence have driven them to despair.
They are now asking God to transform their
society. There has been two meetings so far
for the rival gangs. So far, it seems, the gangs
have calmed down. If you want to get involed
in the committee contact Francis Coetzee on
083 747 8336.

Police try to
save a man
who was set
alight by a
mob during
clashes
linked to
anti-foreigner
violence in
Reiger Park in
2008

to the SPCA at
011 825 5033 or
emergency cell at
082 675 0072 or
e-mail –
spcagermist@
polka.co.za

ABUSED: Family pet abused by a Germiston resident
A group of Germiston youths were left
traumatised following an incident where
a household dog was beaten with a metal
pole, sustaining sever injuries.
The Germiston/Bedfordview SPCA were
notified that a case of animal abuse had
taken place in Rondebult, Germiston.
Inspector Hope Mokalapa visited the area
only to find the dog gasping for air.
He had a broken jaw and his eye was popping
out of the socket. The badly injured dog was
immediately taken to the North Rand Animal
Hospital in Boksburg for treatment, but due

to the extreme trauma and nature of injuries
to the dog the most humane thing to do was
to have it euthanized.
Following a few reports obtained from the
children, it is alleged that the suspect is a
man from the community who does not live
far away from where the incident occurred.
Lawrence Kingston, Chairperson of the
Germiston/Bedfordview SPCA stated that
a case of animal cruelty will be opened
once all the relevant details and statements
have been obtained and a report from the
attending veterinarian was compiled.
Kingston said, “SPCAs do their utmost best

I never understood violence, war and
demolition, so to understand the daily
goings-on in South Africa is something I
battle with.

criminals, the negativity that surrounds
everything that we do. We have accepted
our fate, now there is nothing left to do
except find joy in something and just live.
Zombified. Emotionless.

Maybe gangs have legitimate reasons that
I couldn’t possibly comprehend for killing
one another, or for their constant turf wars
that really don’t get either party any closer
to whatever it is that they are striving for.
Murder is not a game; someone’s life is not
a plaything, a mere toy.

I look forward to meeting with you.
For instance, page one is on Reiger Park’s
Till next week, stay happy.
ongoing violence and the residents’ ongoing
fears keep coming back to haunt them. Just
a mere five years ago a man was set alight
in the area through
Xenophobic actions.
@chantalrosalie
Page two shows how
inhumane and sick people
can be, maybe it was just to
an animal, but in my mind
animals are just as
Search Tame TIMES
human as humans are.

Yet, on a daily basis, we are living amongst
it. We are so used to seeing the pain and
feeling the pain that it doesn’t matter what
happens with the world, with South Africa,
with anything anymore because it looks
like we have all caved in, given into the

WEATHER

On a positive note, have a look at the
school page where the softball team at
Oosterlig had brilliant results, and please
send through all your information and stories
through to me.

Although reasonable efforts are made by tame Communications (Pty) Ltd and the owners, directors, publishers, editors and staff thereof (all referred to as “TAME”), no responsibility is taken by TAME for any errors and/or incorrect aspects
and/or misstatements in any format published herein, and whoever provides TAME with any information, including any editorial, advertorial and/or advertising material, in any format, indemnifies TAME against any claim of whatsoever nature
which may be brought against TAME by whoever.

tame TIMES Boksburg Editor
chantal@tametimes.co.za

29 January 2014

tame TIMES

Page 3

Preparation for the upcoming Elections 2014 – What’s
it all about?
elections: Register
*Article supplied by Manny de
Freitas MP.

I’m registered
to vote...

In 2014, South Africa will not only celebrate 20
years of freedom from apartheid, it will also hold
the country’s fifth national democratic elections.
With the Independent Electoral Commission
(IEC) announcing a second and final round of
voter registration on 8 and 9 February.
WHEN WILL THE ELECTIONS BE HELD?
The elections must take place some time in
2014, but the final date will only be known
once the president has proclaimed it in the
Government Gazette.
WHO MAY VOTE?
To be eligible to vote, you must:
Be a South African citizen.
Be at least 18 years old.
Have a green bar-coded ID book, or an ID
smartcard, or a temporary identity certificate.
These are all issued by the Department of Home
Affairs.
Finally, you may only vote if you are registered
on the voters’ roll.
HOW DO I REGISTER TO VOTE?
Any time before the president proclaims the
date of the election, you can register at your
local IEC municipal office – but you must first
contact the office and make an appointment.
The IEC has a list of municipal offices with all
the contact details you need.
On the weekend of 8 to 9 February, you can
register from 08:00 to 17:00 at the voting station
for your voting district. Find your voting station
using the map on the IEC website, or phone
0800 11 8000 on Monday to Friday from 08:00
to 17:00.
DO I HAVE TO REGISTER BEFORE EVERY
ELECTION?
Unless you have moved into a new voting
district, you only have to register once. If you
have moved, you have to register for your new
district. If you remain on the voters’ roll for
your old voting district, you will only be able to
vote at your old voting station. You may have to
register again if your voting district changes.
HOW DO I CHECK IF I AM CORRECTLY
REGISTERED TO VOTE?
You can check if you are registered to vote, and
for the right district, in a number of ways:
Send an SMS with your ID number to 32810.
Check your voter registration details online
– this will also give you the address of your
voting station.
Phone the IEC’s call centre on 0800 11 8000 –
this is toll-free if you phone from a landline.
Check at your voting station during the
registration weekend of 8 to 9 February.
Check at your local municipal electoral office
during office hours.

HOW OLD MUST I BE TO REGISTER?
Even though you may only vote if you are 18 or
older, you may register on the voters’ roll from
the age of 16.

CAN I REGISTER IF I’M CURRENTLY LIVING
OUTSIDE SOUTH AFRICA?
Yes, all South Africans with a valid South
African ID (see above) and a valid South African
passport is allowed to register. Overseas
registrations close on 7 February 2014. Find out
more on the IEC website.
HOW DO I REGISTER FROM OVERSEAS?
Go to your nearest South African embassy,
high commission or diplomatic mission with
your valid ID and passport. Note that you
can’t register with only your passport – you
must have your ID document as well. Both
documents must be valid.
CAN I VOTE BEFORE I LEAVE SOUTH AFRICA?
If you will be overseas on Election Day and
would like to vote in South Africa a few days
beforehand, you can apply for a special vote at
your municipal electoral office.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I REGISTER?
Go to your voting station, municipal electoral
office or, if voting overseas, your diplomatic
mission.
Fill in the Application for Registration as a Voter
form.
Your ID book will be scanned.
A bar-coded sticker will be pasted in your ID
book.
Note that completing the form and receiving
a bar-coded sticker doesn’t mean that you’re
registered; it only means that you’ve applied
for registration. Your application must still be
processed, which may take up
to seven working days.

In Gauteng alone over 242 000 new
registrations were recorded on the
registration weekend.
South Africa has come out of a voter registration weekend when citizens
could register at their nearest voting station. This is in anticipation of
the National and Provincial Elections, which is scheduled to take place
in April or May next year. But what is this all about? Didn’t we just
have elections only two years ago? And why was there another voter
registration weekend this month?
Every five years elections are held when all registered voters can vote for
the party of their choice that sends their representatives to Parliament. This
election is known as the National Elections. On the same day, another
election is also held, elections for the Provincial Legislatures. Here too,
registered voters are able to vote for the party of their choice that also sends
their representatives to Provincial Legislatures. Provincial Legislatures are
the Province’s Parliament. This is why voters receive two ballots when they
arrive at their voting station to vote. The more votes a party gets the more
seats, or Members of Parliament or Members of the Legislature, the party will
be allocated proportionally.
Only South African citizens who are registered to vote get onto the voters roll
and are thus eligible to vote. You only register once off as a voter and are
not required to register every time there is another election. However, if you
have previously registered and have since moved to a different address you
are required to go to the nearest voting station nearest to your new address
to advise the IEC (Electoral Commission) of your move and therefore the new
voting station that you are allocated to. This will ensure that you are on the
voters roll for that particular voting station.
Once you are registered as a voter you are permitted to vote in any subsequent
election. On average about two years after the General and Provincial
Elections, Local Government Elections (LGE) are held. This explains why
2011 elections were LGE. LGE are a little different, as instead of receiving
only one ballot as you do for Parliament and the Provincial Legislatures, in
LGE a voter is given two ballots. One ballot provides the voter the opportunity
to vote for the party of their choice. Here too, just like the National and
Provincial Election, parties send their representatives off a list proportionally.
However, this accounts for only half of the councillors elected. The other
50% of councillors are directly elected off the second ballot. These elected
councillors serve as your councillor in a demarcated area called a ward. A
ward is usually a collection of adjoining areas and suburbs.
The IEC works hard at encouraging more and more people to register so that
the number of voters is as large as possible. The November voter registration
weekend appears to have been a success. IEC statistics indicate that there
was a good turn up of people to register. In Gauteng alone over 242 000 new
registrations were recorded on the registration weekend. This is good news
all round as this solidifies our democracy and ensures that more people make
direct decisions about the people that will be representing them in the various
legislatures.
The IEC has not yet supplied the detail of how many people registered in
the South but from the DA’s records we can confirm that over 15000 new
registrations took place in the South alone.
The next step is up to each one of us: to vote next year on Election Day for the
party that you believe will make South Africa better.

Page 4

29 January 2014

tame TIMES

What the numbers say

The IEC held the first voter registration weekend for the 2014 elections last year
during the month if November. This election registration drive took place safely at
most of the approximately 22 300 voting stations, which will be used for the 2014
elections.IEC information reveals the following statistics regarding registrations (correct as
of the November 2013):
Total Gauteng activity the during the November registration weekend:
572 395
Total number of new registrations:
242 894
Total (National) of youth aged 18 – 19 registered:
275 487
Total (National) males aged 18 – 19 registered:
148 705
Total (National) females aged 18 – 19 registered:
126 782
A general trend of more females registering was observed over the weekend country wide
KZN led the country in the youth category (16-29) recording 242 131. Gauteng was second
with 185 057 registrations.
Both male and female registration numbers spiked between 16:00 and 17:00 on both days
of the November registration weekend.

The individual
anchors real
democracy

By Nieto Hernandez

WE’RE REGISTERED
TO VOTE. ARE YOU?

Imagine it really didn’t matter if you voted
or not. Imagine votes really didn’t count, or
worse, imagine scores of South Africans
did not wakeup on 27 April 1994. Now stop
imagining because the truth is that every
vote counts and the only better tomorrow
will be influenced by those who follow the
guidelines; register to vote, then vote.
Even though I set out to discuss the importance
of voting, I quickly realised we vote every day.
For what more is voting if it isn’t choosing the
direction in which you want your life’s ship to
sail? What more is voting if it isn’t deciding
what you like over what you dislike?
The real question about voting should actually
be a question which addresses choices, and
that is where, in my opinion, many in our
beloved South Africa miss the point. Choosing
should always be premised on the individual’s
ability to process information as an individual.
Many of my countrymen find themselves
devoted to old teachings; or for the religiously
inclined, faithful to old commandments.
Being stuck in old ways fails the progress of
the entire nation, but that is hardly the worst
consequence, the worst is that the growth of
the individual is severely compromised.
The most disturbing reality I’ve observed in our
generation is the lack of interest in the options
available to voters. How does one make an
intelligent decision without scrutinizing the
offerings?
As almost all the colours which represent
our political landscape have recently been
delivering their manifestos and holding rallies,
I question the number of ‘new’ faces at these
gatherings. Are there any who attend with an
open mind ready to be swayed, or have the
minds been made up? In short, I just want to
know what informs the vote. Do I vote green
because I don’t like orange, or do I vote green
because I’ve actually considered what both are
offering and have as an individual decided that
green represents my ideals?
I’ve asked many questions, even to myself,
but the only answer I’ve managed to knit
together expresses that real democracy
values the individual. I strongly believe that
once the individual has chosen to vote (which
I encourage), the individual should do so as
a free thinker, uninfluenced by anything other
than the knowledge of the choices.
Folks remember 8 and 9 February represent
the last chance for those of you who haven’t
registered to vote, so register and then get
to know what choices are available before
making the mark on the ballot.
Let’s chat. Send me your comments at voice@
tametimes.co.za or tweet me @nietovoice.

Taking a stand against e-tolls
On Saturday 25 January hundreds of
bikers and vehicles in Johannesburg
South protested against the e-toll system.
The protestors gathered at the Portuguese
Hall, situated on the corner of Wemmer
Pan and Victoria Road, and made their
way onto the highway from the Comaro
on-ramp.
Many bikers covered or even removed their
number plates in protest against the e-toll
system. Other protestors had their vehicle
hazard lights on and displayed “proudly e-tag

free” stickers in their windows. The protestors
continued north towards Pretoria, passing
through all the gantries. The SAPS and Metro
Police also followed the strike and led the
protestors from the beginning to the end of the
route. Various online invitations advertising
the strike appeared on social media, such
as Facebook, and internet sites a few days
before and up until the strike. “Take a stand
against this corrupt and unjust system,” and The sticker many cars displayed in their windows “proudly e-tag free”
“highway robbery” were among the verbal
protests posted on many of these pages.

Alleged murderers arrested in
Boksburg North

Early last Saturday morning, at about
02:38, an African male was murdered. The
man was attacked along the pavement of
First Street, Boksburg North.
Witnesses saw how an African woman and
male hit the suspect with rocks and the
female stabbed the suspect with a knife.

When Warrant Officer Nene and Constable
Mahlangu arrived on the scene the victim was
declared dead. After police investigations
commenced, the officers found the suspects.
The culprits were arrested the same morning.
The case is under investigation and the motive
will be determined.

Student accommodation service
needed in Daveyton
Hundreds of bikers protesting against e-tolls

Ekurhuleni on a drive to fix leaks
South Africa is a water scarce country
and the preservation of water is important
for local authorities such as the City of
Ekurhuleni. In this regard, the municipality
has launched a programme to repair water
leaks to curb water wastage in several
areas.
According to the Water Demand Management
Analysis about 43 000 residential areas in
Tsakane, Langaville and Geluksdal have high
volumes of water wastage.
The municipality‘s water Conservation Leak
Repair Project is currently underway in these
areas and the project is expected to run until
January 2016.
The repair work involves conducting leak
free tests in each property, fixing or replacing
leaking plumbing items such as toilet cisterns
and associated pipework.
“This includes refurbishment of underground
pipes and yard connections, fixing sink taps,
baths, showers, outdoor taps, condition rating

of underground pipes, and installation of
meters on properties,” metro’s spokesperson
Themba Gadebe said.
About 27 schools in Tsakane, Langaville and
Geluksdal will also have their leaks repaired.
Of great importance is that the project is
community based and labour intensive in line
with the Expanded Public Works Programme
(EPWP) principles, which means locals will
receive employment opportunities.
The project will result in the creation of 377
jobs in the fields of plumbing, general work,
Community Liaison Officers, Community
Facilitator Supervisors, Community Facilitators
and Quality Controllers.
Residents must be at ease as the workers will
be clearly identifiable by their EPWP orange
working suits and some will be wearing
reflecting vests bearing the Ekurhuleni
logo. The leak repair project is happening in
partnership with Water Affairs, Public Works
and Rand Water.

City of Ekurhuleni to educate youth
on democracy and civic education
The Youth Unit of the City of Ekurhuleni
will run a series of workshops aimed at
educating the youth about democracy and
civic responsibility.
The democracy and civic education
workshops will focus on promoting knowledge
on social cohesion among young people, the
Constitution, national symbols and fostering
national pride and patriotism. The purpose of
the workshop is to empower the young people
of Ekurhuleni with enough information so that
they realise the importance of registering and
voting in the coming elections.
The workshops have been planned as a build-

up to the IEC’s voter registration weekend
on 8 and 9 February, so that young eligible
voters who have not yet registered may see
the importance to do so.
The workshops started on 23 January and
will run till 30 January. The final one will be at
the Reiger Park Civic Centre tomorrow. The
workshop will run from 10:00 to 15:00 each
day.
Buses have been organised to ferry young
people to the venues free of charge.
For more information on the transport
issue contact 011 999 1569.

Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality
in partnership with Vaal University of
Technology (VUT) invites Ekurhuleni
residents who have accommodation in
Daveyton and surroundings to submit
proposals for providing accommodation
services to VUT students.
This follows VUT’s relocation from their
satellite campus in Kempton Park to the old

Vista campus in Daveyton.
“All accommodation service providers within
the periphery of the campus are requested
to submit their detailed proposals to Juliet
Hector at the Vaal University of Technology
Management Building, Cnr R51 and
Brazil Street Daveyton 1507. Deadline for
submission is 31 January 2014,” Metro’s
spokesperson Themba Gadebe said.

10111 language complaint investigated:
Mutual assistance offered
At a meeting between the Gauteng Head
of the 10111 emergency call centre of the
South African Police Service (SAPS) and
AfriForum, the civil rights organisation
was assured by the SAPS that the
complaint regarding the refusal of service
in Afrikaans by a 10111 operator was taken
seriously. This meeting follows an incident
two weeks ago when an emergency call
from AfriForum was disconnected after
Afrikaans service was requested.
According to Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO at
AfriForum responsible for language matters,
AfriForum was assured that disciplinary
steps have already been instigated against
the operator who was unwilling to assist in
Afrikaans. AfriForum was also assured that
multilingual service will be made available
on all shifts, as far as possible. If an operator
cannot speak the caller’s language of choice,
everything possible will be done to refer the
call to someone who can assist.
Following the abovementioned incident,
AfriForum has launched a complaints line
to inquire from the public whether they’ve
encountered similar problems, and several
complaints from across South Africa were
received. Those complaints were also brought
to the attention of the SAPS.
The SAPS requested that members of the
public who are dissatisfied with the service
of 10111 call centres, should report their
problems to their complaints line at 0860
13 0860. This is necessary to ensure that
problems are identified and solved.

A huge problem for the SAPS is people
abusing the emergency line with triviality
and prank calls. During one weekend alone,
the SAPS emergency call centre in Gauteng
received 40 000 calls of which only 3 500
were serious. This puts staff under immense
pressure, it results in calls from people in lifethreatening circumstances going unanswered,
and it wastes resources funded by taxpayers.
AfriForum has undertaken to assist the SAPS
in creating awareness among the public
of the fact that 10111 is a service solely for
the reporting of emergency situations, which
necessitates immediate response or where
lives are threatened.
“AfriForum appreciates the urgency with
which the SAPS has dealt with our complaints
and will gladly assist them in ensuring that the
10111 emergency number is not abused. We
will inform our members on a continuous basis
to memorise emergency numbers like the fire
brigade and emergency medical services
and to refrain from calling 10111 when these
services are needed,” Bailey said. “People
should remember that a triviality like a noisy
dog in their suburb is not a reason to call
10111, even if the barking is annoying. Parents
also need to teach their children that a prank
call to 10111 can cost someone’s life and that
it’s unacceptable under all circumstances.
The abuse of an emergency number is a
punishable offence.”
The SAPS and AfriForum will stay in contact
to jointly address any further language or
other problems with regard to the emergency
service number.

Baring Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams walks on the stage dressed in all
black with a top hat and takes his place with his
acoustic guitar.
This is what fans experienced this past weekend at the
Big Top Arena at Carnival City. No fancy band or no
show-stopping stage design, just Bryan Adams baring
his musical soul and outstanding talent, occasionally
accompanied by gifted pianist Gary Breit. And by all
means this was more than enough, actually exceeding
expectation. This Bare Bones Tour shows the Grammy
Award winning musician is all natural talent.
This unplugged tour provides a rare opportunity for
fans to enjoy Adams’ last three decades of music
history with hits like Cuts Like a Knife, Summer of
`69, Kids Wanna Rock, Can`t Stop This Thing We`ve
Started, (Everything I Do) I Do It for You, Open Road
and Thought I`d Seen Everything.
Adams even sang a Kristofferson song, Help Me Make
It through the Night, whom will also be playing at Big
Top Arena on 22 March and interestingly enough both
of them have sung a duet with Barbara Streisand.
Adams shared this with the audience, telling them how

Laurelle Williams
laurelle@tametimes.co.za

he was sent the song ‘I Finally Found Someone’ by a
producer and changed it as it ‘didn’t work for him’. A
few weeks later Streisand phoned him and asked him
why he changed her song. He replied, “Well are you
going to put down the phone?”; Streisand said, “No,
I like it.”
This interaction with the audience gave fans a glimpse
of the real Bryan Adams, reflecting his humorous
personality.
Adams’ status as one of the great songwriters of our
time has been solidified with a Grammy Award, 18 Juno
Awards and an American Music Award. He has also
been nominated for three Academy Awards and five
Golden Globes. This show was something amazing.
Adams has to be one the best love songs writers and
singers. His songs are every woman’s dream and his
voice just adds to the already amazing song.
Every song he sang was known to the audience,
showing his huge success and popularity.
Adams told Carnival City patrons, “Music is the closest
thing to magic we will ever come across”; and that is
HATS OFF:To Bryan Adams on his Bare Bones Tour.
true, his Bare Bones Tour was exactly that - magic.

Page 8

tame TIMES

29 January 2014

SENQU
SLOGAN T-SHIRTS

MIASLF-05

BENONI:
43 HOWARD AVE
TEL: 011 422 2995

@ Cool Prices

Scrumming on the next level
Former players must be involved in the sport, that way their experience can be
transferred. The result of this will be a gradual improvement in the standard.

Jano Vermaak and Lawrence Sephaka in
the Golden Lions

A GIANT LEAP: The Blitzbokke’s
successful defence of their Vegas
title sees them on top of the log,
ahead of the New Zealand leg of the
HSBC Sevens World Series. (photo
by Wessel Oosthuizen)

As part of a major overhaul plan of the A Square
Forklift Alberton Rugby Club, formerly known as
Alberton Rugby Club, Lawrence Sephaka and a few
other prominent figures in South African sports have
joined the club. Lawrence forms part of a team of
administrators who have been recruited in order to
realise the vision introduced by Manie Reyneke, who
is no stranger to the local club.
Sephaka met the game of Rugby purely by chance
back in the mid-1990’s as a youngster at Reigerpark
High School. His introduction to the game was thanks to
a coach at the school and some brutal honesty on his
behalf. Sephaka explains that he was in love with soccer
before his introduction to rugby, his size though prompted
a coach at the East Rand-based school to approach him
and suggest that he join the rugby team, which was in dire
need of players. The now former Springbok player at that
moment made the best decision he could have made, he
took up the invitation and joined the team.
“I made the best decision,” an obviously amused Sephaka
told tame TIMES, “I look back now and I realise soccer
was not my thing.”
Sephaka explains that he realised that this game was
life-changing at age 17, when in 1997 he found himself
sharing camp with the 1995 World Cup winning Springbok
team.
“At school level I found that my game was improving every
year. When I started playing things were pretty interesting
as I found my way around the rules of this new game.
Once I was acquainted with it there was no turning back,”
Lawrance said.
At age 16 Lawrence was already exposed to first team
rugby while at Springs Technical, and although his
rugby career was already being molded he maintained
focus of his grades in the classroom. The love for the
game prompted him to push himself even more and this
dedication paid off as he was soon inducted into the junior
structures at the Lions Rugby, where he later met Manie
who describes Sephaka as a down to earth individual.
Lawrence brings a wealth of experience to A Square

Forklift Alberton Rugby Club, both to the players (forwards)
who he will be taking through the paces of scrums and
lineouts, and the rest of the coaching staff who will learn
the responsibility their positions come with.
Reyneke’s vision is cantered around the absorption of
professional sportsmen into the administration of the
various recognised sporting codes in South Africa.
“Former players must be involved in the sport, that way
their experience can be transferred. The result of this will
be a gradual improvement in the standard,” said Reyneke,
“and that is why Sephaka was brought in, so that we can
take the club to the next level.”
The very same club that had fostered the likes of Derrik
Minnie, Ruan Nel, Jaco Kriel and Andre Pretorius is back
in the business of creating local heroes. tame TIMES is
fully behind A Square Forklift Alberton Rugby Club and
encourages the Alberton community to do the same. Over
the next few weeks we will continue to profile some of the
other new faces at the club.

HERE TO TAKE THE CLUB TO THE NEXT LEVEL:
Lawrence Sephaka forms part of a dedicated team
at A Square Forklift Alberton Rugby Club

Springbok Sevens takes
third Las Vegas title
Ndu Ngwenya

ndu@tametimes.co.za
The Springbok Sevens side successfully
defended their Las Vegas title over the
weekend. The Blitzbokke’s successful
campaign earned the South African side
their third Las Vegas title in four years.
Going into the fourth round of the HSBC
Sevens World Series, which was hosted
at the San Boyd Stadium in Nevada (USA),
South Africa (56 points) was second on
the log, just behind New Zealand who
were sitting on 58 points.
The Blitzbokke began their successful
defence strongly as they made light of all
their competition during the preliminary
stages of the Vegas tournament. South
Africa won all their pool A fixtures, which
were matches against Wales, Canada and
Kenya.
South Africa then progressed through the
quarterfinals after convincingly beating
Argentina 36 – 0. At this point the Springboks

had already exceeded the expectations
of their captain, Kyle Brown, who stated
that a finish in the top four would help the
Blitzbokke keep up to the World Series
leaders.
Samoa was the next side to fall at the hands
of the South Africans when they lost 14 –
0 in the semi-final fixture, which took place
in the early hours of Sunday morning (local
time).
Later on Sunday, South Africa met up with
New Zealand in the final game on the USA
leg of the World Series.
The Springboks won the game 14 – 7 and
by that not only successfully defended their
title, but also managed to top the log having
a one point advantage over New Zealand.
The next stage of the HSBC Sevens World
Series will take place on 7 – 8 February and
will be hosted at the Westpac Stadium in
New Zealand.